Drop weight for pattern mechanism



Dec. l5,1925- 1.565.568

E. R. HOLMES DROP WEIGHT FOR PATTERN MECHANISM Filed Sent. 22, 1925Patented Dec. 15, 1925.

UNITED STATES 1,565,568 PATENT OFFICE.

ELBRIDGE It. HOLMES, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO CROMPTON&: KNOWLES LOOM WORKS, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OFMASSACHUSETTS.

DROP WEIGHT FOR PATTERN MECHANISM.

Application filed September 22, 1925. Serial No. 57,905.

v specification.

This invention relates to improvements in drop weights for the patternmechanism of so-called Knowles looms and it is-the general object of theinvention to provide improved means whereby said-weights'may be moved toand held in inoperative position.

In the well-known Knowles head the vibrator connector has a slottedconnection with the harness lever and in order to maintain operativecontact therewith it is necessary to provide some yielding device whichwill hold the two members together but permit relative movement of thesame as the vibrator lever rises and falls due to the motion of the gearto which it is conif nected. It is occasionally necessary to remove adefective vibrator and under such conditions it is desirable that thedrop weights be moved to and held in inoperative position to facilitateremoval. It is a more particular object of my invention to accomplishthis result by providing each drop weight with a spring plunger having areduced portion thereof to cooperate with a slotted frame which servesnormally to guide the plunger but which'is so arranged as to receive thereduced portion of the latter to hold the same together with the dropweights in raised position.

It is a more specific object of my invention to connect the spring forthe plunger to the drop weight to cause the latter to move with theplunger.

'With these and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds', my invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forthin the claims.

In the accompanying drawings wherein a v convenient embodimentof'my'invention is set forth,

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through a Knowles head motionshowing my invention applied thereto,

Fig. 2is an enlarged horizontaljsection on line 22of Fig.1, a a

Fig. 3 is a section on line 33 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4; is a section on line 1- 1 of Fig. 2, A

and

Fig. 5 -is an enlarged fragmentary elevation of the lower end of thePlunger and spring therefor showing the way in which these parts areconnected to the drop weight.

Referring to the drawings it will be seen that I have provided a loom 10having a head frame 11 on which are mounted upper and lower oppositelybut constantly rotating mutilated gear cylinders 12 and 13,respectively. Disposed between said cylinders is the usual gang ofvibrator gears 14 one of which is shown in Fig. 1, and each of saidgears is mounted on a vibrator lever 15. A pattern chain 16 controls thevertical position of the vibrator levers and the latter move undercontrol of the chain about a heel pin17. Vibrator connector 18 has oneend attached as at 19 to the vibrator gear and the other end slotted asat 20 to engage a gudgeon 21 carried by each harness lever 22. Saidharness levers are pivoted on the cross'rod 23 and are operativelyconnected to the harness of the loom. A plurality of drop weights 24,one for each connector 18, are pivoted on a rod 25 extending between thearches of the loom. The matter thus far described is of well knownconstruction and in the operation thereof the vibrator levers 15 will beraised or lowered to bring the vibrator gears into operative contactwith one or the other of the oppositely rotating mutilated gearcylinders to the end that the connectors 18 and the harness leversconnected thereto may be reciprooated under control of the pattern chainto determine the weave.

My improvements relate more particularly to the plunger rod associatedwith each drop weight 24 and the manner in which the same is connectedto the drop weight and also to the manner-in which it may be moved toinoperative position. In carrying out my invention I provide a plungerrod 30 for each drop weight and the lowerend of each rod is providedwith an enlarged rounded head 31 to be received by a depression in cup32 formed on eachdrop weight 24. The cup has at one side thereof anupstanding lug 33 through which extends the lower end of compressionspring 34 which surrounds the plunger 30. The upper end-of each spring34 presses against a frame 35held in fixed position with respect to theloom and having therein a plurality of openings each provided with acircular portion 36-and a slot 37 communicatingtherewith. Each rod hasaslabbed or reduced portion 38 formed intermediate the ends thereofproportioned to be received by the slots 37. The body of the rod is ofsuch diameter as will pass freely through the circular opening 36 butwill not pass through the slots 37.

Under normal conditions the springs 34 will press the drop weights 24against the vibrator connectors 18 but when it is desired to remove thevibrator the corresponding drop weight will be moved into the associatedslot 37. That-part of the rod which lies above the slabbed or reducedportion 38 will then engage the top of'the frame 35 and hold the dropweight in raised position. Because of the fact that the lower end of thespring 34 passes through the'lug 33the drop weight will be held inraised position. I find it convenient to so proportion the upstandingtail 39 of the drop weight as to engage the plunger rod and move the jsame to the dotted lineposition shown in Fig. 1 with the reduced portion38 lying in the slot 37. When the vibrator lever is being removed theconnector 18 will be raised to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1so that it will be free from thegudgeon 21 and be movable endwise out ofthe head. After a new lever has been inserted in the head thecorresponding plunger will be moved away from the slot 37 and will againbe operative to hold the connector 18 in proper position.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a very simpledevice for raising and holdingthe drop weights of the well-known Knowleshead in inoperative position without requiring constant attention on thepart of the operator. It will further be noted that the connection between the spring and the drop weight is such that the raising of theplunger 30 also raises the drop weight 24 and that-each tail '39proportioned to move-the plunger associated therewith to inoperativeposition. Furthermore each plunger is freely rotat able with respectto'its drop weight to permit registry of the slabbed portion-thereofwith the slot 37.

Having thus described my invention it will be apparent that changes andmodifications may be made therein by those skilled in the. art-withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention, and I do not wishto be limited to the details hereindisclosed but what I claim is:

1. In a-loom pattern mechanism having a harness lever and an operatingconnector removably attached thereto, a drop weight operating normallyto hold the connector and lever in operative relation, yielding means tohold the weight againstthe connector, and a support to hold saidyielding means temporarily inposition to relieve the pressure betweensaid drop weight-and-the connector.

2. In a loom pattern mechanisinhaving a harness lever and an operatingconnector removably attached thereto, a drop weight operating normally.to hold the connector and lever in operative relation, yielding meansto hold the weight againsttheconnector, a support 'to hold said yieldingmeans temporarily in position to relieve the pressure between said dropweight and'the connector, and connections between the weight andyielding means to cause said weight to move away from theconnector whensaid yielding means is moved to relieve pressure on the connector.

3. In a loom pattern mechanism having a harness lever and an operatingconnector removably attached thereto, a drop weight operating normallyto hold the connector and lever inoperative relation, a plunger for thedrop weight, a head formed onithe plungerand received by a depression inthe drop weight, .a spring surrounding the plunger and extending througha portion of the drop weight, and meansto hold the plunger in positionto relieve ,pressure on the connector, the portion of the spring whichextends .through the drop weight holding the latter away from theconnectors.

4. In a loom pattern mechanism having a harness lever and an operatingconnector removably attached thereto, a drop weight operating normallyto .hold the connector and lever in operative relation, a plunger forthe drop weight having a portion of re duced cross-section, asupporthaving a slot located above the normal position of the reducedpart of the plunger and-positioned to receive said reduced part of theplunger when the latter .is raised, and yielding meanssurrounding'theplunger and engaging a portion thereof to hold saidplunger against the drop weight, said means being operatively connectedto'the drop weightto cause said weight a to, move with i the I plunger.

5. Ina loom pattern mechanism having a harness lever and an operatingconnector removably attached .thereto, a drop iweight operating normallyto hold the connector and lever in operative relation, a plunger for thedrop weight having a portion of reduced cross-section, .a support havinga slot located above the normal position of the reduced part oftheplunger'and positioned to receive said reduced part of the plunger whenthelatter is raised, and yielding means surrounding the plungerand'engaging a portion thereof to hold said plunger against the dropweight, said means being operatively connected to .the

drop weight to cause said weight to move with the plunger, said plungerbeing freely rotatable with respect to the drop weight, therebypermitting movement of said plunger to cause the reduced part thereof toregister with the slot of the support.

6. In a loom pattern mechanism having a harness lever and an operatingconnector removably attached thereto, a drop Weight operating normallyto hold the connector and lever in operative relation, a spring plungerconnected to the drop weight and holding the same against the connector,said plunger having a portion of reduced crosssection, a giveway supportfor the plunger having an opening therein to receive the plunger and alesser opening connected to the first opening to receive the portion ofthe plunger having a reduced cross-section, and a tail projecting fromthe drop Weight and proportioned to engage the plunger when the same israised andmove the reduced portion of the plunger into the lesseropening of the support.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto aflixed my signature.

ELBRIDGE R. HOLMES.

